Mechanism control



- 9 3 c. M. HELLER i 2,309,454

MECHANISM CONTROL WEE INVENTOR C/hfor'd /7. 2967/62- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C.M. HELLER MECHANISM CONTROL Filed Aug. 28, 1941 I l l i i I lllr I I l Il Jan. 26, 1943.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 MECHANISM CONTROL Clifford M. Heller, Toledo,Ohio, assignor to The Bingham Stamping Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August 28, 1941, Serial No. 408,665

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a control mechanism l or actuating apparatus,and more particularly to a mechanism and apparatus for actuating orcontrolling braking mechanism of an automotive vehicle.

The invention has for an object the provision of a foot operated leverarrangement embodying a clutching means of such nature that the leverarrangement may be retained in any position of adjustment and yet may bemanually released with very little effort.

The invention is inclusive of a mechanism control including a lever andclutch arrangement of simple yet effective construction including footoperated lever mechanism and manually operated clutch releasing means,the latter being so arranged that the clutching means for retaining thelever mechanism in adjusted position may be rendered eifective orineffective at will.

' A further object of the invention is the provision of a levermechanism wherein the major parts are formed from sheet material thuseffecting substantial reduction in cost and assembly and enhancing theuniformity and interchangeability of parts.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of anemergency brake actuating pedal lever which depends from a pointadjacent the instrument panel in which the lever retaining meanscomprises a locking device which may be released with the pedal lever inany position, and a manual control means for the locking device arrangedto render said locking device effective or ineffective.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and I tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawings of a form of the invention. which may bepreferred, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational View, partly in section, showing aportion of the operators compartment of the vehicle with the controlmechanism of my invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the control mechanism of myinvention;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the arrangement shown in Figure2 with certain parts illustrated in section;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line55 of Figure 2;

. Figure 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the locking device held ininefiective position by the manual control means.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line'l'l of Figure 2.

While I have shown the arrangement of the control mechanism of myinvention as utilized for actuating the emergency brakes of anautomotive vehicle, it is to be understood that I contemplate the use ofmy invention with any apparatus wherein the same may be found to haveutility.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first with respect to Figure 1there is illustrated a portion of an operators or drivers compartment ofthe vehicle wherein numeral l0 designates the cowl portion, H awindshield, l2 the dashboard,

I3 the conventional instrument panel, M a steering post and I5 asteering wheel. A -portion of the vehicle chassis frame is illustratedas at H, the same carrying a bracket 18 upon which is journalled atransversely extending shaft l9. Secured to the shaft I9 is aservice'brake pedal or member 2| having a foot pad actuating portion 22.Also secured to the shaft'l'9 is an arm 23 which is connected by meansof a clevis 24 and a rod 25 to the brake mechanism of the ve-' hicle(not shown). Secured to shaft I9 'is a second arm 21, having a pin 28 atits extremity which is received in a slot 29 of 'a member 30, the latterbeing secured at one end to the end of a flexible cable 3| which ispositioned within a suitable sheath or guide 32. A spring 33 has one endthereof secured as at 34 to the frame, the other end being connected asat 35 to' member 30.

The arrangement is inclusive of a support or member 31 carried by amember 38, the latter being supported by the dashboard 12 or othersuitable portion of the vehicle. The support 37 is preferably formedwith a vertically positioned uniplanar portion 39 which pivotallysupports a depending lever member 49 by a pin or rivet 4! passingthrough member 39 and through the side walls 42 and 43 of the levermember as particularly shown in Figure 3. The lever member is inclusiveof a body portion terminating in a foot pad 44 which may be covered bymeans of a rubber pad 45 as shown in Figure 1. The lever member ispreferably made of a single sheet of r metal formed to the configurationillustrated in- Figures 2, 3 and 4 with the adjacent edges of the formedlever member welded together as at 46 in order to enhance the strengthof the lever member. The upper extremity of the lever member is formedwith spaced parallel side walls 42 and 43 straddling the uniplanarportion 39 of the support 31. Positioned between the upper extremitiesof the side walls 42 and 43 is a block or abutment 49 secured thereto bymeans of rivets 59, the upper ends of the side walls being flangedinwardly as at to embrace the upper edge of block 49. Spaced from block49 and also secured between the side walls of the lever memher is asecond block or abutment 52 held in place by means of rivets 53.Pivotally secured to support 31 by means of a rivet or pin 54, as shownin Figures 2 and 5, is an arcuately shaped bar 55 which projects betweenthe side walls 42 and 43 of the lever member. The upper edge surface 58of block 52 is shaped to provide a clutching surface with the bar 55 asparticularly illustrated in Figure 2.

Positioned between the upper arcuate clutch surface 69 of bar 55 and thelower clutch surface 6| of the block 49 is a clutch means or roller 62having tenon portions 63 which extend through elongated slots 64 in theside walls 42 and 43 of the lever member. A manipulating lever or arm 65is pivotally supported upon a pin or rivet 69 passing through block 52and the side walls of the lever member, the arm 65 being formed of sheetmetal and having a U-shaped portion 61, the side walls 68 and 69 ofwhich straddle the exterior walls of the lever member 4| adjacent theclutch roller 62. The side walls 68 and 69 are formed with open endedslots 19 which receive the extremities of tenons 63 of the clutch roller62.

With particular reference to Figure 2, it is to be noted that the loweredge 6| of the block 49 and the arcuate upper edge of bar 69 converge toform a wedging angle for cooperation with the clutch means or roller 62for the purpose of maintaining the lever member 40 in brake settingposition. The extremity 13 of the arm or lever 65 is provided with anopening which receives a laterally extending end portion of a rod 16.Secured by means of rivets 85 -to the support 31 is a sheet metalbracket 86 which has an extended portion 8! terminating adjacent theinstrument panel I3 and is formed with anopening through which projectsrod 16. Mounted upon the projecting portion of the rod 16 is a handle ormanipulating means 88 secured to the rod by means of a screw 19 or othersuitable means.

Also mounted upon the laterally extending portion 15 of rod 16 andarranged on eachside of arm 65 are circular washers or discs 89. Theportion 15 of rod 16 and the discs 89 are held in position with respectto the arm 65 by means of a cotter key 99 passing through an opening inportion I5.

The side walls of the body portion of lever 49 are bored to receive atenon 9| formedupon the extremity of a member 92, the extremity of thetenon 9| being swaged over as indicated at 9| to hold member 92 fixedlyto the lever body. J ournalled upon member 92 is a sheet metal elementor bracket 93 which has an upwardly projecting portion 94 and a portion95 arranged substantially at an angle with respect to portion 94, thejuncture of portions 94 and 95 formingan apex I93. The portions 94 and95 are of channel shaped cross-section as indicated in Figure 2, theside walls 96 and 91 embracing the discs or rollers 89. The member 92 issurrounded by means of a spiral spring 98, one end 99 of which extendsinto an opening I99 in the lever body, the other extremity of the springbeing formed into a hooklike configuration I9| which engages portion 94of the bracket 93. The tension of spring 98 is such as at all times tourge the bracket 93 into constant engagement with the discs 89journalled on portion I5 of the rod 16. When the arm 65 and bracket 93are in the position shown in Figure 2, the spring 98 tends to rotatebracket 93 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, andthe bracket being in engagement with the discs 89, serves to move lever65 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot pin 86 to urge theclutch roller 62 toward wedging engagement with the arcuate surfaces BIand 69 of the block 49 and bar respectively. The lever member 49 isprovided with a projection 82 which is adapted to be straddled by aclevis 83 connected to member 82 by means of a pin 84, the clevis beingsecured to the upper extremity of the flexible brake actuating cable 3|.It should be noted that the axis or fulcrum 4| of the lever member 49 isnormally in alignment with the point of connection of the rod I6 withthe clutch releasing lever so that irrespective of the relative positionof lever member 49, there is no relative change in the position of thepoint of connection of rod 16 with lever or arm 65, so that the lattermay be actuated at all times irrespective of the position of the brakeactuating lever or pedal 49.

The operation of the device of my invention is as follows: Asillustrated in Figure 1, the pedal lever 49 is in normal or brakereleased position. When it is desired to efiect setting of the emergencybrakes, the vehicle operator causes the lever 49 to oscillate in aclockwise direction about the fulcrum or pin 4| by pressure upon thefoot pad 45. As the pedal lever 49 is moved toward brake settingposition, the clutch roller 62 does not restrain movement of lever 49,but when the pedal lever 49 is brought to brake setting position, theroller 62, under the influence of spring 98 acting through bracket 93and lever 65, is urged into wedging engagement between the surface 6| ofthe block 49 and surface 69 of the bar 55 and serves to hold the levermember 49 in, brake setting position. The arrangement of pivotallysupporting the bar 55 upon the support 31 compensates for inaccuraciesin the manufacture of the surfaces 58 and 6| and also compensates forany wear of the clutch roller or clutch surfaces. To efiect a release ofthe emergency brakes, the operator grasps .the manipulating button 88and by outward movement thereof away from the instrument panel I3actuates rod 16 and actuates the releasing lever 65 in acounter-clockwise direction about its fulcrum pin 66 and moving therollers 89 over the apex I93 into contact with portion of bracket 93'.As shown in Figure 5, the angle of portion 95 when in engagement withrollers 89, and under the influence of the spring 98 urging bracket 93in a counter-clockwise direction causes arm 65 to be urged in acounter-clockwise direction about pivot pin 66 to retain the clutchroller out of engagement with clutch surfaces 69 and 6|. The tension ofspring 33 acting upon the cable 3| serves to retract the pedal lever 49to brake released position. In order to minimize the shock resultingwhen spring 33 returns the lever 49 to brake released position, there isprovided a sheet metal bracket I95 having a portion thereof covered withmoulded rubber I96 or the like which acts as a buffer when engaged bythe block 52 secured to the lever member 40.-

It is to be noted that the pedal lever 40 may be released irrespectiveof its position as the rod I6 connects with the releasing lever 65 atthe axis of the fulcrum M of the pedal lever so that during relativemovements of the pedal lever the extremity of the releasing leverremains in rela-- tively fixed position with respect to the fulcrum ofthe pedal lever. The manipulating means 88 and rod 16 when moved to aposition wherein the discs 89 engage portion 95 of bracket 93, theclutch roller 62 by means of tenons 63 being carried in slots in theside walls 68 and 69 of arm 65 is rendered ineffective to hold the pedallever 40 in brake setting position. Thus, with the clutch releasemechanism in the position shown in Figure 5, the pedal lever 4|] may bemoved under foot pressure to brake setting position and when theoperators foot is removed from the pad 45, the brakes will immediatelybe released under the influence of spring 33 serving to retract thebrake cable and oscillate the lever 40 to brake release position. Themanipulating means of my invention therefore is adaptable if desired torender the clutch means entirely ineffective so that the brakingmechanism connected to the pedal lever 40 may be used as a service brakemechanism.

With the manipulating means 88 and rod 16 and arm 65, and associatedmechanism in the position shown in Figure 2, the clutch roller 62 willat all times be urged toward wedging or clutching position so thatwhenever pressure is applied to the pad 45 to effect the setting of thebrakes through movement of the lever 40, the clutch mechanism will holdthe lever 40 and brake mechanism in set position. Release of the clutchmay be instantaneously effected by outward movement of manipulatingmeans 88 and rod 16 in turn actuating arm 65 and clutch roller 62.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modificationsand different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed,and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

l. A mechanism control; a support; a foot operated lever fulcrummed uponsaid support and having a foot pad portion at a depending extremity ofsaid lever; clutch means for holding said lever in adjusted position;clutch releasing means supported on said lever; manipulating meansconnected to said clutch releasing member substantially in alignmentwith the fulcrum of said lever whereby said clutch releasing means maybe actuated irrespective of the position of said lever; and means forlocking said releasing memher in clutch releasing position.

2. A mechanism control comprising a support; a lever of the first orderof levers fulcrummed upon said support and having a foot pad portionarranged beneath said fulcrum; clutch means located above said fulcrumfor holding said lever in adjusted position; releasing means includingan arm pivotally carried by the lever associated with said clutch means;means manually operable from a remote position connected to said armadapted to be actuated to releasing position irrespective of theposition of said lever; and means for locking said clutch means throughsaid releasing means in ineffective position.

including a member pivotally '3. In a mechanism control; a support; anarcuately shapedbar articulated withsaid support;

a lever member formed of sheet metal to substantially U-shapedconfiguration'and fulcrummed intermediate its ends upon'said support; afoot pad portion secured to the depending extremity of said levermember, said lever member having at its upper end projecting side wallportions straddling said bar; a clutch roller cooperatively associatedwith said lever and arranged for contact with said arcuately shaped barfor holding the lever in adjusted position; a pair of abutments carriedby said lever and arranged to be engaged by said clutch roller and saidbar respectively; and means having connection with said clutch rollerfor locking the clutch roller in clutch releasing position.

4. In a mechanism control; a support; an arcuately shaped bararticulated with said support; a lever member formed of sheet metal tosubstantially U-shaped configuration and fulcrummed upon said support; afoot pad portion secured to the depending extremity of said levermember, said lever member having at its upper end projecting side wallportions straddling said bar; a clutch roller cooperatively associatedwith said lever and arranged for contact with said arcuately shaped bar;abutments carried by said lever and arranged to be engaged by saidclutch roller and said bar; means having connection with said clutchroller for effecting a release of said clutch roller, said releasingmeans including an arm pivotally supported upon said lever member; andmeans including a bracket pivotally carried by said lever andcooperating with said arm for holding said clutch roller out of contactwith said arcuately shaped bar.

5. In a mechanism control, a support; a lever fulcrummed upon saidsupport and depending therefrom; a clutch roller for holding said leverin adjusted position; an arm pivotally supported on said lever andarranged to control said clutch roller; manually operated meansconnected to said arm for rendering said clutch roller effective orineffective; a bracket pivotally supported on said lever; and springmeans engageable with said bracket for biasing the latter into contactwith said arm for resiliently urging said clutch roller toward eifectiveor ineffective position depending upon the relative position of saidmanually openated means.

6. In a mechanism control; a support; an arcuately shaped bararticulated with said support; a lever member formed of sheet metalfulcrummed upon said support having at its upper end projecting sidewall portions straddling said bar and carrying at its other end a footpad; a clutch roller cooperatively associated with said lever andarranged for contact with said arcuately shaped bar; a pair of abutmentscarried by said lever arranged to be engaged by said clutch element andsaid bar respectively; means having connection with said clutch elementfor rendering the same ineffective, said means including an armpivotally supported upon said lever; means adapted to engage said armfor rendering said clutch roller ineffective; and a manipulating rodconnected to said arm.

7. In a mechanism control, a support; a lever fulcrummed intermediateits ends upon said support and depending therefrom; a bar pivotallyconnected to said support; a clutch roller arranged to engage said barfor holding said lever in adjusted position; an arm pivotally supportedon said lever and arranged to control said clutch lever in adjustedposition; clutch releasing means including an arm pivotally supported onsaid lever; means manually operable from a remote position connected tosaid arm substantially in alignment with the fulcrum of said leverwhereby said clutch releasing means may be actuated irrespective of theposition of said lever; and means acting on said pivoted arm for holdingthe same in a position to render the clutch means 10 ineffective.

CLIFFORD M. HELLER.

